Another day, another handful of customers and tips.
The norm for this Peppino. As well as the lull in folks coming in as he sat at the counter, bored out of his mind as the tip of his pencil tapped against the counter while contemplating the answer to a part of his crossword puzzle.
❛ "A sound, especially one that is-a loud or unpleasant or that causes disturbance"...and it's-a five letters... ❜
The tapping continued as he racked his brain for the solution. It's right at the tip of his tongue, he swears it, but it's not coming to him. The television quietly playing some weird daytime sitcom overhead combined with the ever-increasing volume of his own tapping, it quickening as his own irritation of both these and the question perplexing him. He bit his lip and furrowed his brow, skin turning a lighter shade of red out of his near-silent rage. His thoughtful hums turned into furiously loud humming as he was ready to TEAR THIS NEWSPAPER TO SHREDS...
...until the show was stopped mid-laugh track as it turned to static. It immediately drew his attention as the paper was saved within his grasp.
❛ Great... Something must've-a wiggled the antennae. AGAIN. ❜ He grumbled out loud. Not that he was watching that horrible show or anything but his ear was tuned to it and it's horrible situational jokes.
As he made his way from behind the counter to head outside, the television changed again. Within the static came a familiar sight, a familiar sound...
Was that...was that HIS face?! HIS voice?! Maybe it was another version of him? He would remember if this happened to him. He looked so nervous. Par for the course honestly with how his life has gone.
AND WAS THAT THE NOISE?! Wait, hold on, this guy was dressed so weirdly... He wouldn't put it past the Noise himself looking and acting like that but something made him doubt it was ACTUALLY him. Call it his Italian intuition.
Peppino returned to before the set that sat above him, eyes transfixed on what was going on. Looks like they're...cooking? And the Noise-like being was threatening him with knives and such. He couldn't even comprehend what's going on or what happened thanks to him seeing it mid-way through.
That sucks but thank GOD that wasn't him.
He returned to his stool behind the counter as his eyes stayed glued to this situation, his thumb immediately mashing to turn up the volume so he could hear them better. He really wanted to know how it'll end...and hopes he makes it out alive.
The OTHER he, not "he" like himself--forget it. All these other him's make it confusing enough. No need to think about it.
❛ ...THE ANSWER IS-A NOISE. ❜ He blurted out as he filled out the space on the crossword before it left his brain once more. Then back to staring at what happened next in this REAL drama.